Paper Fare Cards Being Phased Out From ‘Ride On’ System

ROCKVILLE, Md. (CBSDC) – Beginning in December, Ride On passengers will be able to load monthly passes onto their SmarTrip cards as a new method of payment being offered to eventually phase out paper fare cards.

Beginning in December, monthly passes will be made available for Ride On passengers’ SmarTrip cards as a way of phasing out paper passes.

The monthly passes cost $45 and grant customers unlimited rides on the Montgomery County Ride On buses for the duration of the month.

Montgomery County officials say paper passes will no longer be available after Jan. 31, 2013, but passengers will continue to have the option of paying fares with cash.

Passengers have the option of loading the new monthly passes onto their SmarTrip cards either in person or online. Another addition is the option to automatically renew your monthly pass online, which would add the new value to your card seven days before the end of each month.

Passes for two consecutive months may also be loaded onto a SmarTrip card at one time, but customers should be aware that once the purchase is made, the two-month value on the card cannot be reversed.

Ride On passengers with monthly passes who use the express Route 70 will be charged an additional $2.05 for each trip, which will automatically be deducted from their SmarTrip card upon boarding the bus.

A monthly pass purchased the 1st through the 15th of any month will be active the month in which it was purchased. Conversely, if it’s purchased the 16th through the end of the month, the pass will be valid for the following month.

Customers who prefer to add the monthly pass value to a SmarTrip® card in person, may do so at the following locations:

Retailers including some Giant Food and CVS Pharmacy stores in Montgomery County. A full list of participating retail outlets is available online.

SmarTrip® card users are encouraged to register their SmarTrip® card online, so that the stored value won’t be lost if the card is misplaced. Customers can manage SmarTrip® information online, including viewing their card balance and usage history, adding multiple cards to their account, reporting a lost card, requesting a replacement card or transferring the balance to another registered card.